Improvement in exercising-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. TAYLOR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXERCISINGtMACHINES.

Speciliation forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,652, dated December27, 1854.

To all 'whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES F. TAYLOR, ofthe city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulMachine for Exercising the Spinal and Abdominal Muscles 0f the HumanBody; and I do hereby declare that the followingI is a full, clear, andexact description thereof', which will enable others skilled in the artto make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying'drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is aside sectional view of my invention taken in the line a in, Fig. l; Fig.2, a transverse vertical section of the same taken in the line 1/ y,Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in the employment or use of one or twooscillating platforms provided with adjustable or sliding counter poiscsor weights, and arranged on hinges in a suitable framing in such amanner that the portions of the body may be exercised in a greater orless degree, as the condition ofthe patient may bear, for the purpose ofexercising the spinal and abdominal muscles.

The invention further consists in the novel application of slides to theplatforms, as hereinafter set forth, whereby the slides are made duringthe oscillations of the platforms to move or slide to conform to themovement of the body and prevent any friction between the latter and theplatforms.

A represents a framing having in its upper part a transverse shaft, B,to which two platforms G C are attached by joints a., said platformsprojecting from opposite sides of the shaft B, and allowed to turn orswing freely on said shaft. Each platform has pendent brackets Dattached to its under side,

to which a shaft or bar, E, is secured, said 4 shaft or bar beingparallel, or nearly so, with l the platforms, and having each a weight,F, appled or suspended on them, so as to be capable of being adjusted atdifferent points on the shafts or bars.

To the base G, on which the framing A I t n tient improves by practicethe reslstance to rests, there are attached by joints b two bars, H, oneunderneath each platform. These bars H have each a spring, I, attachedto them, and these springs have a tendency to y keep the upper endsofthe bars in connection with catches J at the under side` of thepiatform, and when the bars H are secured in this upright position theplatforms C are supported so that they cannot descend below a horizontalline.

On each platform C there is placed a slide, K, which may be upholsteredor covered with any suitable cloth or fabric. These slides are eachprovided with two pendent pins c c, one near each side, and said pinsproject down through oblong slots d, made longitudinally in theplatforms, and have pins e passing transversely through theirlower ends.These pins and slots serve as guides for the slides K K, the latterbeing allowed to move freely on the platforms. They may, however, beretained in position or prevented from sliding, when required, by meansof a thumb-nut, L, fitted on a screw cut on one of the pendants c ofeach slide.

I would remark that friction-rollers may be fitted in the platforms Cand slides K to pre` vent friction.

The operation is as follows: Suppose, for instance, that it is desiredto exercise the abdominal muscles. The patient lies upon the slides K onthe platforms G G face uppermost, the trunk of the body being on oneplatform and the lower limbs upon the other. The platform which supportsthe trunk of the body is retained in a horizontal position by the bar Hunderneath it, while the bar H of the other platform is drawn inward bymeans of a string or chain, f, and is retained in an inward position byany suitable means to admit of the oscillating of the platform on whichthe lower limbs rest. The weight F of the bar E of the oscillatingplatform is adjusted in accordance with the amount of exertion requiredto benefit the patient. It will be seen that the patient depresses theplatform through the movement of the lower limbs, which calls into playthe abdominal and lower spinal muscles, and the farther outward theweight F is placed on its bar E the greater the exertion required todepress the platform, the latter being brought up by the weights. Thusit will be see-n that as a pathe downward movement of the platform maybe increased. In order to exercise the `upper spinal muscles the otherplatform is liberated by drawing inward the bar H underneath it,

and both platforms may be nsed simultaneously, if desired. The bars Hprevent the movement of the platforms While the patient is getting onand ott from them. Said bars are adjusted by an attendant.

The position of the patient on the platforms is shown clearly in Fig.1.

The slides K K are important, as they move during the oscillations ofthe platforms and prevent any friction between the body of the patientand the platforms, insuring ease and comfort to the ormer.

Having thus described my invention, what I clann as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. The employment or use of oscillatingGHAS. F. TAYLOR.

itnesses Jas. P. HALL,

h go. VV. REED.

